


Homecoming

by randomfandomimagine



Series: Imagines (Reader Insert) [49]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-04 11:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20470427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomfandomimagine/pseuds/randomfandomimagine
Summary: Requested by anon (Tumblr):OK I JUST HAD AN IDEA FOR AN IMAGINE FOR THE ELRIC BROTHERS. So, for the imagine, reader is sent to spy on the Elric brothers by Father and eventually has to assassinate them. But reader doesn’t want to. They soon develop a friendship and reader is at a crossroads when they meet FatherRequested by anon (Tumblr):Yesss imagines are open! Imagine for Al (FMA) surprising his s/o when he got his body back and his s/o takes care of him and even bakes him something since they are a baker?





	Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> It’s been really long since I last watched/read Fullmetal Alchemist, so I apologize if the plot if a bit messy. Also, the Alphonse ship part is very very subtle.

I noticed them, the two brothers, they were staring at me. The short one’s gold eyes focused on me, but then they looked ahead and he passed me by. The other one, however, kept staring. I couldn’t see his eyes because of the armor, but I noticed his walking got slower and he tilted his head to the side slightly.

Waiting for the right moment, I carefully looked around me. I didn’t want to arise too much suspicion. It was about to happen any moment, and I had to be ready. I had a mission.

Interrupting my focused thoughts, a figure jumped up and blocked the brother’s path, a tall and slim figure that I knew very well. Her long fingernails then became a weapon as they stretched out to the two. They were quick to act, however, nimbly moving out of the way and ready to retaliate.

I jumped in between them, though, drawing my sword out and swiftly swinging it to break her extended fingernails that turned into blades. Lust cried out in pain but didn’t retract. The two brothers continued their defense, with the blond one with the ponytail briefly staring at me as he passed by.

“Be careful!” The one with the armor took me by the arm. “It’s dangerous!”

I squirmed in his grasp when he tried to push me back for my own safety. Finally managing to set myself free from his gloved hand, I spun my sword around in preparation.

“Don’t worry, I got this” With that, I ran to help the short one again.

Injuring Lust with my weapon, she fell to her knees. She glared at me, then looking back to the other one, and surrendered. She slowly held her hands up, eyeing me caerfully. Neither of us moved until she started to walk away, still eyeing us with contempt.

I stood there, breathing heavily from the battle. Lust and I exchanged a glance of rapport, and she didn’t look back again.

“Hey” The short one finally acknowledged me. “Good job”

I tiredly smiled at him, saving my sword back on its sheath.

“Wow” The other’s voice echoed inside his armor. “I didn’t know you were so good, thanks for helping us!”

“Yeah, thanks” The one with the ponytail held his hand out for me. “I’m Edward”

“Y/N” I introduced myself, giving his hand a firm shake.

“I’m his brother Alphonse” The other said, shaking my hand as well.

I looked up to meet with Alphonse’s tall stature, then glancing back to Edward.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both” Even if maintaining my usual neutral voice, I tried to sound polite and kind.

“Why don’t you come with us?” Alphonse suggested happily. “We were about to grab something to eat!”

“I don’t know” I casually shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not really…”

“Yeah, sure” Edward tilted his head at me. “Consider it a thank you for helping us”

“Exactly!” Alphonse excitedly grabbed my hand. “Come on!”

With a reluctant sigh and a soft smile, I allowed him to take me with them. I had to suppress the urge to smirk in satisfaction. The plan was working perfectly so far.

-

After several weeks, I had earned their trust. We had gone through many things together, including accompanying them on their journey and helping them as much as I could and even visiting their hometown in Resembool.

The more time I spent with them, the less I wanted to carry on with the plan. Ed was short-tempered and hermetic, but worked hard to do the right thing and protect his loved ones. And Al was innocent and too friendly, but his warmth and kindness were unique. I grew especially close with him.

It came to a point where I refused to do them any harm. They had welcomed me, treating me as a friend, looking after me and caring for my safety and wellbeing. And even though I had many opportunities to accomplish my mission once and for all I just… couldn’t. Not only couldn’t, but didn’t want to.

My mind was burning with thoughts as we left the Rockbell’s home. They were the closest Edward and Alphonse had to a family, and they had spoken about a lot. That included their purpose, and Ed’s automail, and Al’s armor. Upon learning about their stories, I felt even more sympathy for all of them. For the sacrifice they had made, for their journey and their goal, for their capacity to love and selflessness. And I admired them for it.

“Bye!” Winry waved her hand at us from the balcony. “Come back soon!”

“Thanks for having me” I waved back at her, who smiled in return.

“You too, Y/N!” Pinako said, positioning herself next to Winry.

“Yeah!” The girl exclaimed so I could hear her with our increasing distance. “We had a lot of fun!”

“Yeah, yeah” Edward pulled at my arm, making me smile in spite of myself. “Let’s get going”

“I knew they would like you” Alphonse told me, his voice dripping with kindness as usual.

With a last wave to the Rockbells, I accommodated my slow pace to their quicker one. It felt a bit sad to leave them behind and abandoning that comforting feeling of home they had introduced me to. But then again, Edward and Alphonse were like another home, wherever we were.

“I’m really sorry about that, by the way” I had the need to say, explaining myself after their attentive stares. “About… you know… all of it”

“Oh” Edward’s expression darkened a bit, and he closed his metallic fist. “Never mind”

Noticing it was a subject he was not willing to talk about, I mentally told myself not to bring it up again, but knowing about it gave me a whole new perspective. The old me arose for a moment, saying that it could be a weakness I should take advantage of. But the new me, the one that had grown fond of them, replied that I shouldn’t. That I wouldn’t.

“It must be especially hard for you” I whispered to Alphonse, even if it was strange talking to him now knowing the truth behind his empty armor.

I had tried to keep my voice low, but I heard Edward sighing at my words.

“It’s okay!” Alphonse said, seemingly carefree. “When I get my body back, I’ll eat all the foods, I keep them on a list! Especially apple pie, I can’t wait!”

I noticed Edward walking ahead of us, hanging his head low. I didn’t comment on it.

“I‘ll look out for more delicious foods for your list” I nudged Alphonse, even with his empty armor. “Especially desserts, since you like them so much”

“Thank you, Y/N!” He replied. “Your company is helping us a lot”

“Don’t mention it” I replied, feeling a certain guilt eating me alive from the inside.

I considered telling them everything, confessing the truth about the actual reason behind our first meeting. But how could I? Edward would definitely hate me, and even Alphonse would be mad at me. And I wouldn’t blame them. So although I wanted to open up about it, I knew that I never could. I just wasn’t brave enough.

We continued walking in silence, prepared to carry on our adventure. To keep on searching for a way to return Ed’s arm and leg and Al’s body.

-

Living with Father used to be horrible. It was sad, dark and oppressing. I was always scared, fearing that he might abandon me and that I would be alone again. Frightened that I might disappoint him and in his anger he would lash out at me. Aware of his conditioning and manipulation, I put up with it because it was all I ever had. I only ever had him.

All that seemed to be in another life, as travelling with the Elric brothers was the complete opposite. We laughed, we chatted, we looked after each other. We joked and had fun, but also worked together. We _were _together, I was not inferior to them. Perhaps only inferior in alchemy knowledge, but not in self-worth.

However, almost as though he sensed my happiness and was ironically envious of it, Father intervened. During our voyage to Rush Valley, taking advantage that we were alone and vulnerable, he appeared. Or rather, one of his puppets, just like I had been.

This time it was Greed. He stood there, tall and arrogant as always.

“What…?” I stopped myself in time, before confessing I even knew him.

“There you are, Y/N” I felt the blood escape my face when he spoke. 

“Wait…” Edward muttered in awe. “You know each other?”

I frowned, not capable of looking at them. Instead I stared at Greed.

“Father sent me, you were taking too long” He said in exasperation. I could picture Father’s eyes glistening with fury as he commanded him. “When were you going to finish your task?”

“Task?” Alphonse turned to me, tilting his head in confusion.

“I knew it” Edward pointed an accusatory finger at me. “I knew it! I knew it was too good to be true!”

“No” I choked out, feeling tears welling up in my eyes at the look of absolute disgust that he dedicated me. That look caused a pang in my chest. “Please, Ed, you have to listen to me”

“Why haven’t you killed them yet?!” Greed continued, completely ignoring my crippling heartache. “Do it now!! Rid me of this nuisance!!”

“No!! I won’t!!” I pulled out my sword, ready to use it against him.

“You dare defy him?” He was about to attack, but a wall suddenly erected before me.

I instantly looked over to Ed, whose hands rested against the ground. His alchemy provided us with some safety for now.

“Y/N…” Alphonse’s soft voice said behind us. “How could you?”

“It’s not like that, I… I really care about you…” My sobs interrupted me before I even realized they had taken over. “I would have never hurt you… You’re my family now, you… You are the only people that have ever looked after me. They were the only thing I had before I knew you, but they never cared about me and… When we met, I…I realized I could never hurt you…”

“You lied to us” Edward was frowning, still looking at me like that. Like an enemy, like the traitor I was.

The wall that surrounded us and kept us safe began shaking. Greed was about to tear it down and expose us. I refused to be vulnerable and afraid anymore. After knowing love, I refused to go back to that. I preferred being alone to being miserable with them.

“I’m sorry” Tears were now rolling down my cheeks as I looked from one brother to the other. It felt strange, letting my emotions out after holding them in for so long. “I’m really, really sorry”

Just at the wall collapsed, I jumped and sunk my sword into Greed’s chest. He gasped in surprise, and so did the Elric brothers behind me. Greed didn’t think twice to strike back, as I felt a sudden sharp pain in my stomach.

I grit my teeth and ignored it, reminding myself of his weak spot. I could just rip the stone out from him and give it to them, to help them. But they wouldn’t take it if they knew how it was created.

Edward pushed me as he went forward and attacked Greed. I felt Alphonse’s hand on my back, keeping me from stumbling, but he retrieved it soon.

“Al, I…” I stuttered, but he only looked away. There wasn’t a need to any facial expression to read the sorrow in his countenance.

“Get the hell out of here!” Edward yelled at me over his shoulder, not interrupting the duel. “I don’t want to see you ever again!”

“But I want to help!” I tightened my grip on the sword. “I can help you, tell you how to-“

“No!” Was his response, refusing to say anything else.

I hated myself for what I had done. For lying to them, for not telling them the truth, for not doing something! Maybe I could have warned them. Maybe I could have confessed everything in a healthy way. But I had been too scared, and now was too late.

Turning to Alphonse, I dedicated him a last pleading look. He refused to meet with my eyes. I understood. I didn’t deserve their forgiveness.

With tears still streaming down my face, I told myself to move. My body didn’t obey. It just stood there. Something told me that if I left, it would be the last time I saw them.

Mildly injured and deadly hurt, I faltered in the spot. They weren’t paying attention to me anymore, too involved in the battle to mind me. I preferred that to Alphonse’s stunned silence upon my betrayal. And I especially preferred it to Edward’s hurt look of contempt.

I clutched my wound and forced myself to take a step forward. Another followed, and another, until I distanced myself a little. The noise of the battle died down as the distance grew. I forbid myself from looking back.

-

It couldn’t have been more than a week, but those days felt like an eternity. I journeyed endlessly, moved only by guilt and remorse. The only two people that ever cared about me felt betrayed, and I didn’t blame them. The very inception of our friendship was based on a lie, on a ruse to fulfill a mission, an elaborated plan to end up killing them. But how could I go through with it? Even if it meant angering Father, even if it implied earning his hatred and contempt.

After so many hours trapped in my own head, alone with my terrible thoughts, I found myself in a familiar place. Resembool. While my tortured mind went over all the awful emotions I felt, my feet acted on their own accord. They were moved by my heart, who guided me to the only other place I could ever call home. The only other place where I was accepted, with the only other people that had ever cared for me. Truly cared for me, unlike my old family.

“W-Winry?!” I shouted out as I made it to the house. “Hello?”

I looked down to my wound, grimacing at the sight. I had covered it with an improvised bandage, but blood was seeping through it. The days of travel hadn’t helped either.

My legs began feeling shaky and heavy, I couldn’t tell if it was because of the exhaustion of the blood loss. I dragged my feet as I almost made it to the door.

Just then, I noticed something with the corner of my eye. Up in the balcony appeared a blond head looking down at me.

“Y/N?!” Winry exclaimed, running to meet with me. Soon after, she dashed outside the main door. “You’re hurt!!”

“I’m okay…”

“What happened?!”

“I… I did something terrible…”

“But… Ed and Al!! Are they okay?!”

“Yeah, they should be. They’re better off without me”

Winry frowned in concern, wrapping an arm around me to help support my weight. I knew she had a lot of questions, and I was willing to answer them. 

But she insisted on treating my wound first.

-

It seemed like I had become bound to the bed of the guest room. I didn’t have the energy to stand from it other than to eat or go to the bathroom.

Pinako and Winry had been far too kind with me. Even after I told them with happened with the homunculi and Father, they allowed me to stay with them. Winry was reluctant at first, saying I was a traitor, but Pinako insisted even if I wanted to leave and not take advantage of their kindness. But Winry eventually forgave me. She probably heard me crying myself to sleep every night and noticing how I punished myself with the overwhelming guilt.

Learning from my mistakes, I had adressed it and apologized to her. Winry was mad at me, but she said that I had gotten hurt defending them after all. That I had changed my mind and decided not to hurt them but protect them instead. That was the only reason she was able to look me in the eye.

As time passed by, the tension slowly dissapeared. I had tried to leave many times, feeling unworthy of that home, but Pinako and Winry welcomed me. They forgave me and accepted me, knowing how much I had suffered. I did all I could to give back for everything they had done for me.

One day I jumped up, startled, when Winry screamed out downstairs. I stopped reading the alchemy book I was holding and paused, trying to hear something. There was a lot of movement in the house, and I thought I heard the Elric brothers’ names. Moved by a hunch, I stick my head out the window and gasped at the sight. A familiar figure with long blond hair was walking towards the house, accompanied by someone I had never seen. But judging by the similarities with the other person, I had a very approximate idea of who it was.

“Edward and Alphonse!” Without thinking twice, I ran down the stairs and opened the door just as Winry was receiving Edward.

I suddenly froze at the door when their eyes fell over me, realizing I wasn’t exactly welcome amongst them. Winry had been clear about her opinion of me when I first arrived, and by the glare Edward was giving me, I could tell he was still resentful.

I looked down in shame, thinking about going back into the house and isolating myself like I had been doing for so long now. Only Pinako had been somewhat kind towards me seeing as I had nowhere else to go. And she was still a little wary despite it all.

“Y/N” Alphonse mumbled my name in a way that made my heart skip a beat. He said it with excitement, like he had missed me, like he was genuinely glad to see me.

The sound of his voice stirred something within me. Overall, it was the fact that it wasn’t echoed inside an empty armor. It had a human body to accompany it now. And I had missed him, I didnt’ realize how much until he was there. 

I smiled up at him, cautious, and he reciprocated the gesture. Then he did something I would have never expected he’d do, because I didn’t think I deserve such kind treatment. But Alphonse opened his arms, inviting me to hug him.

I didn’t think twice, I didn’t lose my chance. I ran towards him and we collided in a tight tender hug. I buried my face in his shoulder and held him tight, fascinated by the physical feeling of his body for the first time since I knew him. There was no empty armor anymore, he got his body back. There was flesh and bone now.

“I’m sorry, Alphonse…” I sobbed, feeling terrible for what I put them through, for what I did to them, for ruining our friendship by betraying their trust even if I didn’t have a choice. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t really want to do any of it, but…”

“It’s okay” His soft voice interrupted me as his gentle hands rested over my back. Every single gesture, every time our bodies somehow got in contact, it was so tender and warm. “That doesn’t matter now”

I couldn’t help but to cry a little, feeling equally repentant for what I did and emotional because he had forgiven me. He lovingly squeezed me against him, bringing me a wonderful feeling of belonging.

“Y/N…” There was the sound of my name again, this time spoken with apathy and even contempt. A mere acknowledgment of my presence, which was more that I could ask for.

Alphonse and I slowly broke away and I looked over to Edward, who glared at me still. Winry was by his side, giving me a not as harsh but definitely wary glance.

“Hello, Edward” I dedicated him my best smile, but he seemed unimpressed.

Right after, he walked away with Winry, the both of them chatting as they came into the house.

“Your brother hates me” I mumbled to Alphonse, sighing in resignation.

“Give him time” He chuckled a little. “He’s a little pigheaded, but he’ll come around”

I took a good look at Alphonse and realized he looked very thin and tired. After his body was locked away for so long, I could tell it had been neglected. I felt the impulse to look after him to make up for everything. And anyway, I wanted to look after him, I was fond of him after all.

“You’re more or less like I had imagined” I said with a sheepish chuckle as I headed back towards the house. He followed, taking his time.

“Really?” Alphonse smiled wider, allowing me to link my arm with his and let him lean his weight over me. After so long being an empty armor, a body was probably a heavy burden until he got used to it again.

“Yeah, but you look very thin and… honestly, exhausted” I admitted, worriedly looking at him. His cheeks were sunken and there were bags under his eyes.

“I’ll be okay” He brushed it off with a simple shrug, even if his smile grew tired, like he was actually letting his outside to reflect the inside for the first time .

“I’ll look after you until you get better” I said happily, deciding to add something in case I had overdone myself. “If you want me to, of course”

“I could use some rest”

“I’ll spoil you a lot”

“How?”

“Well… helping you however I can and… baking for you!”

“You bake?”

“I learned since we were apart, I can make a lot of things from your list!”

“I would love that”

Just then, we walked into the house to meet with Edward, Winry and Pinako. The three of them turned to us when we did. Pinako seemed endeared that I was so willing to look after Alphonse, and so was Winry. Edward had this expression, like he hadn’t noticed he should have helped his brother walk into the house but was glad that I did. Almost like he was considering giving me a second chance seeing as I cared so much about his brother. Almost.

“I’m hungry, actually” Alphonse muttered to avoid the embarrassing moment.

“I’ll bake you something right away! How about apple pie?” I remembered that was a part of his list, he had been looking forward to eat it.

“That sounds delicious” He nodded, earning a smile from me.

Excited, I held his hand and took him into the kitchen with me, then helping him sit down in the chair so he could rest after the long journey.

“Do you want some apple pie too?” I shouted to the hall, my heart beating in anticipation.

“Okay” Replied Winry and Pinako.

“Edward?” I tried again, hopeful that I could eventually earn his forgiveness.

“No…” He sounded doubtful, and after a brief pause he corrected himself. “Maybe”

“Coming right up!” Feeling renewed and with a newly found energy, I quickly picked up the apron and put it over my torso.

I smiled at Alphonse as I gathered the ingredients necessary to bake the pie. He smiled back in a gesture filled with love and fondness.


End file.
